With rumours circling about the mining company banning riders, many are wondering if Mauritania’s most thrilling activity is still possible in 2025. Of course, riding in the passenger car is still completely legal and possible, but many travelers have a vision of themselves riding on top of the open carriages with goggles, which is what draws many people to the experience. Riding on top of the Iron Ore Train in Mauritania has always been technically illegal but was done occasionally by locals and intrepid travelers and was mostly tolerated by the mining company. In recent years, the rise of social media brought a lot of attention to the train, which led to an increase in tourists, some of whom wanted to up the thrill-seeking and social media engagement by attempting daring poses like dangling off the edge of the cart. This is the alleged reasoning behind the mining company’s decision to start cracking down on train hitchhikers. They are reportedly worried that the increased ridership will lead to more accidents and injuries, and that this could be a liability, with no benefits for the mining company.
So, is it still possible to ride on top of the iron ore train? Yes, it is, but it is certainly trickier.
Departing from Zouérat/Fderik
The train departs from the Zouérat mines, but the station where you actually hop on the train is in the nearby town of Fderik. Getting on the train here and riding until Nouadhibou means you’re on the train for the long-haul- 16-22 hours. The security situation is very strict here, so this is the place you will most likely be found and made to ride in the passenger car. If you cannot talk your way onto one of the iron ore carts, don’t be dismayed. You can likely try hopping into one of the open-air carts at the Choum or Temimichatt stops. That being said, there have been successful attempts to ride from Zouérat with the help of tour guides.
Departing from Choum or Tmeimichat
Choum is a very popular hopping on point for travelers, as it shaves about 5 hours off the train ride, making the ride around 12-15 hours total. For those traveling without a group tour or a local guide, this is the current situation. When you arrive in Choum, security will likely spot you immediately. Choum is a very small village and next to the tracks there are not a lot of hiding spots. Aside from that, there are also children everywhere that will likely see you and report you to a guard. If security finds you, they will ask you to pay for a ticket and ride in the passenger car. They will personally escort you to the passenger car when the train arrives. From here, you might have luck talking to a staff member in the passenger car to help you switch to one of the open air carts piled with iron ore during the shift change in Tmeimichat. If you are with an experienced tour guide, they can likely find a way around the security.
One drawback with attempting to ride from Choum is the possibility that the train will not stop. Since the crackdown, the train company has been increasingly sending the train from Zouerat without the passenger car attached, meaning that there is no reason for the train to stop in Choum. In this case, you would need to quickly drive to Tmeimichat to attempt to hop on during the shift change.
Arrival in Nouadhibou
You must remember to get off the train at the 20km mark before the train arrives at the port in Nouadhibou. The train will only stop for about 5 minutes so you must gather your things and move quickly. There is no infrastructure around this area, but there will be taxis chasing the train that you can hire to take you into Nouadhibou. There have been recent reports of people riding all the way to the port and getting arrested, so stay alert to ensure you get off the train in time.
Advice: Travel with a group tour or a local guide
The simplest way to ensure you successfully ride the Iron Ore Train is to travel with a group tour or hire a local guide. They will know how to best approach the train without getting caught or potentially have a relationship with one of the security guards. They will also have boots on the ground in Zouerat and can tell you if the passenger car is attached. Once they hear that the car is not attached, you can more quickly pivot your plans to board the train in Tmeimichat. Traveling with a group or local guide also brings the ease of having your transportation arranged, and a comfortable place to stay while you wait for the train.
If you are committed to riding the train solo, you might want to cushion your trip with a couple extra days in case your first attempt is thwarted and bring some extra cash in case you find a security guard willing to accept a “present”. Many guards are not budging on the rules, however, as they do not want to put their jobs in jeopardy. It can be frustrating to not get to do the thing you potentially traveled across the world to do but remember that their livelihoods are more important than your vacation and stay respectful.
You can check out our Mauritania group tours here . If our dates don’t work for you, or you prefer to travel solo- we can always help you with a private tour and set you up for success in riding the Iron Ore Train.
